The Indianapolis Colts are on fire this season, and while the entire team is playing well, the offense in particular has gone from a struggling group to one of the best in the league. Last season, both Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard were on the hot seat, but since then, there has been a complete 180.
Ballard landed one of the best draft picks in the 2025 class with Tyler Warren, and Steichen has finally made his system work, with Daniel Jones seemingly the key he needed to unlock it. There were questions about the culture of the team last season, but none of that seems to be present now.
While as head coach, Steichen oversees the entire team, he is most known for his prowess on offense, having previously worked for the Philadelphia Eagles as offensive coordinator during their 2022 season, which culminated in a trip to the Super Bowl.
Shane Steichen’s 2022 Eagles comparison has Colts fans dreaming big
He is largely seen as the person able to develop Jalen Hurts into the elite QB he is today, and he created one of the best offenses in the league. He may finally be doing the same thing in Indianapolis.
The Colts are preparing to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, and while it should be an easy win for the dominant Colts, it's never a good idea to underestimate an opponent. The Colts will likely be working hard to keep their winning streak going, and in the meantime, Steichen is thrilled about how well his offense is performing.
He credited the team with having great chemistry, so every position works well together. Every facet - the offensive line, the pass game, the run game - is working in unison, so it's not much of a surprise to see that they have become one of the best offenses in the league. And in his media remarks ahead of the Titans game, Steichen was asked if it reminds him of any of his previous teams.
"I don’t know. I don’t know if I have. I've been a part of some pretty good ones. I think we were rolling pretty good in ‘18 when I was at the Chargers. And then obviously, the ‘22 year when I was in Philly. We were probably pretty similar to this."Shane Steichen
To compare this Colts offense to the 2022 Eagles offense is a huge compliment. The Eagles were among the best in the league that season in numerous areas, and got incredible performances from numerous players.
Jalen Hurts is the most obvious, but under Steichen's guidance, he also saw standout performances from running back Miles Sanders and wide receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
And it's easy to see why he is finding the Colts reminiscent of that 2022 Eagles team; once again, Steichen has led the offense to rank among the best in multiple metrics, and the Colts are already beyond being seen as playoff contenders; now, Indianapolis has Super Bowl buzz.
Fans can hope that Steichen's comparison comes true, and that Indy really is bound for the big game for the first time in 15 years.